Damien Riley HQ

A written and audio review. This is no “feel good” film to go see with friends after cocktails. It’s a tale of drug addiction, cancer, shiftlessness, and mental illness. If you’re ok with those themes though, it’s a damn good film with a few scenes that are downright earth shatteringly good.

Listen to my audio review here or scroll down to continue reading my written review.

//player.blubrry.com/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fthedamienrileypodcast%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Fthedamienrileypodcast%2Fjameswhite.mp3&podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fthedamienrileypodcast.com%2Fjames-white%2F#darkOrLight-light&shownotes-ffffff&shownotesBackground-444444&download-ffffff&downloadBackground-003366&subscribe-ffffff&subscribeBackground-fb8c00&share-ffffff&shareBackground-1976d2

James White (2015)
R | 1h 25min | Drama | 13 November 2015 (USA)

James, a twenty-something New Yorker, struggles to take control of his self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family challenges.
Director: Josh Mond
Writer: Josh Mond
Stars: Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi

Having seen and reviewed a difficult film just yesterday, I can tell you I went into this viewing hoping for more uplifting media. Fortunately for me, there is that dark food for thought about life but it’s periodically met with positive quotes and wisdom for ones life. The director here is Josh Mond who’s black and white telling of life’s darkness belies his age. There isn’t much here to hang on to regarding hope but we can see the character get pummeled instead of ourselves and that makes it worth learning from.

As James goes through his early life crisis of trying to figure himself out, his mother is dying of cancer. It seemed like an excuse or an incubator for him to postpone really working and/or writing for hire. He goes all the way to Mexico trying to get clarity but it seems to elude him. Does he get what he needs by the end of the film to “grow up?” That’s the conversation topic. I’d say he’s pretty self-destructive and needs proper therapy and possibly rehab. This is a heavy film with amazing acting. Definitely thought provoking.

8/10

Ruby Sparks is a romantic comedy written by Zoe Kazan. Ruby is a fictional character thought up in the movie by a successful writer in his early twenties played by Paul Dano.

Audio commentary from ‘The Damien Riley Podcast’ episode: Ruby Sparks

//player.blubrry.com/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fthedamienrileypodcast%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Fthedamienrileypodcast%2Frubysparks.mp3&podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fthedamienrileypodcast.com%2Fruby-sparks%2F#darkOrLight-light&shownotes-ffffff&shownotesBackground-444444&download-ffffff&downloadBackground-003366&subscribe-ffffff&subscribeBackground-fb8c00&share-ffffff&shareBackground-1976d2

Much to his surprise, one day Ruby comes to life and takes on the role of his real life girlfriend. After that a roller coaster of emotions and love lessons ensue. For me, the strongest message in the movie is about the power we try to exert over each other in relationships. It has a truly all-star cast including Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas, Elliot Gould, and many more. Though the film started slow for me, it picked up in the middle and became a very fun and emotion-filled ride. I read online while watching the movie that the actress playing Ruby, Zoe Kazan, is the actual writer of the movie. For this reason, the audience gets the perspective of a woman being invented and controlled by an actual woman writer. I was impressed by Miss Kazan and will look for more from her in the future.

Final Thought: Relationships are often funny but more often perplexing. This movie uses metaphor and satire in the form of this invented woman to address some of those difficult issues. Paul Dano does a very nice job as a young writer trying to figure out life and love. He has definite ideas about what Ruby should be and he writes them clearly. I felt a real-life connection to what he was doing when he “wrote Ruby.” I thought at one point, “How would I ‘write’ my wife if I had the magic typewriter?” Through most of the movie I knew I would not rewrite her one iota. I think that is the message of the movie. We want “the perfect spouse” but in reality, we don’t know what that is for us. Better to let our spouse have her/his imperfections than try to craft them into something “perfect.” If those themes sound interesting, you’ll love this romantic comedy. I give it 5/5 stars. In some ways for me it was a perfect film experience.

from Damien’s Blog https://blog.damienriley.com/ruby-sparks-w-my-audio-and-written-commentary/
via IFTTT

Ruby Sparks is a romantic comedy written by Zoe Kazan. Ruby is a fictional character thought up in the movie by a successful writer in his early twenties played by Paul Dano.

Audio commentary from ‘The Damien Riley Podcast’ episode: Ruby Sparks

//player.blubrry.com/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fthedamienrileypodcast%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Fthedamienrileypodcast%2Frubysparks.mp3&podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fthedamienrileypodcast.com%2Fruby-sparks%2F#darkOrLight-light&shownotes-ffffff&shownotesBackground-444444&download-ffffff&downloadBackground-003366&subscribe-ffffff&subscribeBackground-fb8c00&share-ffffff&shareBackground-1976d2

Much to his surprise, one day Ruby comes to life and takes on the role of his real life girlfriend. After that a roller coaster of emotions and love lessons ensue. For me, the strongest message in the movie is about the power we try to exert over each other in relationships. It has a truly all-star cast including Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas, Elliot Gould, and many more. Though the film started slow for me, it picked up in the middle and became a very fun and emotion-filled ride. I read online while watching the movie that the actress playing Ruby, Zoe Kazan, is the actual writer of the movie. For this reason, the audience gets the perspective of a woman being invented and controlled by an actual woman writer. I was impressed by Miss Kazan and will look for more from her in the future.

Final Thought: Relationships are often funny but more often perplexing. This movie uses metaphor and satire in the form of this invented woman to address some of those difficult issues. Paul Dano does a very nice job as a young writer trying to figure out life and love. He has definite ideas about what Ruby should be and he writes them clearly. I felt a real-life connection to what he was doing when he “wrote Ruby.” I thought at one point, “How would I ‘write’ my wife if I had the magic typewriter?” Through most of the movie I knew I would not rewrite her one iota. I think that is the message of the movie. We want “the perfect spouse” but in reality, we don’t know what that is for us. Better to let our spouse have her/his imperfections than try to craft them into something “perfect.” If those themes sound interesting, you’ll love this romantic comedy. I give it 5/5 stars. In some ways for me it was a perfect film experience.

This film in some ways is like “Fargo,” it has buffoons trying to commit crimes with disastrous results. It isn’t funny like “Fargo” though. In fact, this is one of the darker films I’ve seen in the past decade. Give a listen to my short episode on this film and see what you think.

//player.blubrry.com/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fthedamienrileypodcast%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Fthedamienrileypodcast%2Fbeforethedevil.mp3&podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fthedamienrileypodcast.com%2Fdevil-knows-youre-dead%2F#darkOrLight-light&shownotes-ffffff&shownotesBackground-444444&download-ffffff&downloadBackground-003366&subscribe-ffffff&subscribeBackground-fb8c00&share-ffffff&shareBackground-1976d2

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)
R | 1h 57min | Crime, Drama, Thriller | 26 October 2007 (USA)

When two brothers organize the robbery of their parents’ jewelry store the job goes horribly wrong, triggering a series of events that sends them, their father and one brother’s wife hurtling towards a shattering climax.
Director: Sidney Lumet
Writer: Kelly Masterson
Stars: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney

Audio commentary from ‘The Damien Riley Podcast’ episode: Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

from Damien’s Blog https://blog.damienriley.com/before-the-devil-knows-youre-dead-w-audio-commentary/
via IFTTT

This film in some ways is like “Fargo,” it has buffoons trying to commit crimes with disastrous results. It isn’t funny like “Fargo” though. In fact, this is one of the darker films I’ve seen in the past decade. Give a listen to my short episode on this film and see what you think.

//player.blubrry.com/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fthedamienrileypodcast%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Fthedamienrileypodcast%2Fbeforethedevil.mp3&podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fthedamienrileypodcast.com%2Fdevil-knows-youre-dead%2F#darkOrLight-light&shownotes-ffffff&shownotesBackground-444444&download-ffffff&downloadBackground-003366&subscribe-ffffff&subscribeBackground-fb8c00&share-ffffff&shareBackground-1976d2

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)
R | 1h 57min | Crime, Drama, Thriller | 26 October 2007 (USA)

When two brothers organize the robbery of their parents’ jewelry store the job goes horribly wrong, triggering a series of events that sends them, their father and one brother’s wife hurtling towards a shattering climax.
Director: Sidney Lumet
Writer: Kelly Masterson
Stars: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney

Audio commentary from ‘The Damien Riley Podcast’ episode: Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

Most Gen-Xers know the attitude John Lennon of the Beatles had and the impression that left on modern culture. Milennials may not know much about him and they more than anyone should see this film. Beyond that, Boomers and everyone left living will love this film that chronicles the “pre-Beatle” years of John Lennon. It’s highly well made and the material is timeless.

Nowhere Boy (2009)
R | 1h 38min | Biography, Drama, Music | 15 October 2010 (USA)

A chronicle of John Lennon’s first years, focused mainly in his adolescence and his relationship with his stern aunt Mimi, who raised him, and his absentee mother Julia, who re-entered his life at a crucial moment in his young life.
Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson (as Sam Taylor-Wood)
Writer: Matt Greenhalgh (screenplay)
Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Anne-Marie Duff

Sam Taylor-Johnson is our director here. She is unfortunately the director also of “Fifty Shades of Grey.” We’ll give her a hat tip anyway for taking a bestselling novel and setting it to film. Although I haven’t seen it, I’m sure it isn’t all bad. Her other directorial stuff has included a musical short by R.E.M. and some other huge acts like The Weeknd. She winds big with me on that, I’m a huge music lover. As a trivia note: Director Sam Taylor-Wood married Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the actor playing John in this film.

This film is different from your average biopic. First of all it’s an adaptation of a novel on the same name. Also, it’s the story apart from the luster of the Beatles. We get this guy named John instead of the notorious Lennon. He doesn’t even look like him. That may be a plus because this story takes of out of the Beatlemania and into the psychology of a young man in England trying to fit in as a square peg. I had some issues with the film in it’s ack of rational realism. How could he have learned guitar so fast? When did he start to write songs and how did he hone them? Stuff like this is missing because it’s focused more of relationships.

He is raised by his aunt who is very strict but clearly loves him. As a late teen, his real mother re-enters his life and tells him all about rock and roll. In fact, it is she who teaches him to play music on the banjo. He starts a rock band and goes through a few key life-changing experiences that one might assume made for the attitude he brought to the Beatles. This is an excellent film I highly enjoyed watching. I wish there were more like it about the other members of the Beatles. I give this one a 9/10.

from Damien’s Blog https://blog.damienriley.com/nowhere-boy/
via IFTTT

Most Gen-Xers know the attitude John Lennon of the Beatles had and the impression that left on modern culture. Milennials may not know much about him and they more than anyone should see this film. Beyond that, Boomers and everyone left living will love this film that chronicles the “pre-Beatle” years of John Lennon. It’s highly well made and the material is timeless.

//player.blubrry.com/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fthedamienrileypodcast%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Fthedamienrileypodcast%2FEp81NowhereBoyandTop_5MusicBiopics.mp3&podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fthedamienrileypodcast.com%2Fep-81-nowhere-boy-and-my-top-5-music-biopics%2F#darkOrLight-light&shownotes-ffffff&shownotesBackground-444444&download-ffffff&downloadBackground-003366&subscribe-ffffff&subscribeBackground-fb8c00&share-ffffff&shareBackground-1976d2

Nowhere Boy (2009)
R | 1h 38min | Biography, Drama, Music | 15 October 2010 (USA)

A chronicle of John Lennon’s first years, focused mainly in his adolescence and his relationship with his stern aunt Mimi, who raised him, and his absentee mother Julia, who re-entered his life at a crucial moment in his young life.
Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson (as Sam Taylor-Wood)
Writer: Matt Greenhalgh (screenplay)
Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Anne-Marie Duff

Sam Taylor-Johnson is our director here. She is unfortunately the director also of “Fifty Shades of Grey.” We’ll give her a hat tip anyway for taking a bestselling novel and setting it to film. Although I haven’t seen it, I’m sure it isn’t all bad. Her other directorial stuff has included a musical short by R.E.M. and some other huge acts like The Weeknd. She wins big with me on that, I’m a huge music lover. As a trivia note: Director Sam Taylor-Wood married Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the actor playing John in this film.

This film is different from your average biopic. First of all it’s an adaptation of a novel on the same name. Also, it’s the story apart from the luster of the Beatles. We get this guy named John instead of the notorious Lennon. He doesn’t even look like him. That may be a plus because this story takes of out of the Beatlemania and into the psychology of a young man in England trying to fit in as a square peg. I had some issues with the film in it’s ack of rational realism. How could he have learned guitar so fast? When did he start to write songs and how did he hone them? Stuff like this is missing because it’s focused more of relationships.

He is raised by his aunt who is very strict but clearly loves him. As a late teen, his real mother re-enters his life and tells him all about rock and roll. In fact, it is she who teaches him to play music on the banjo. He starts a rock band and goes through a few key life-changing experiences that one might assume made for the attitude he brought to the Beatles. This is an excellent film I highly enjoyed watching. I wish there were more like it about the other members of the Beatles. I give this one a 9/10.